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Tampa Bay's high points in sportsBy John Cotey © St. Petersburg Times, published April 1, 1998 APRIL 26, 1975: The Rowdies win their North American Soccer League opener 2-1 in overtime over the Rochester Lancers at Tampa Stadium. SEPT. 12, 1976: San Diego shuts out the Bucs 23-0, setting off a 26-game franchise-opening slide. MARCH 6, 1983: John Reaves throws for 358 yards and the Bandits win their USFL opener 21-17 over the Boston Breakers at Tampa Stadium. NOV. 29, 1984: Former Florida star Ronnie Williams scored 29 points to lead the Thrillers to a 111-101 Continental Basketball Association win over Sarasota at the Bayfront Center. JUNE 8, 1991: Orlando beats the Storm 51-38 at the ThunderDome. OCT. 7, 1992: Chris Kontos gets a hat trick as the Lightning rips Chicago 7-3 at Expo Hall. APRIL 13, 1996: The Mutiny beats New England 3-2.- JOHN C. COTEY The 10 best sporting events in Tampa Bay history: 1. 1979 NFC Championship Game: In their fourth year, the Bucs come within a game of the Super Bowl. However, the Los Angeles Rams earn the NFC spot 9-0. 2. Devil Rays opener, March 31, 1998. 3. Game 6 of Lightning-Flyers 1996 first-round playoff series: In the ThunderDome's hockey finale, an NHL playoff-record 27,189 fans give the Lightning a rousing ovation after Philadelphia's 6-1 win to take the series four games to two. 4. 1997 NFC playoffs, Bucs vs. Detroit Lions: The fever of '79 revisited as the Bucs stuff co-MVP Barry Sanders and knock off the Lions 20-10. 5. Super Bowl XXV, Jan. 27, 1991: Who can forget Buffalo's Scott Norwood pushing his field goal wide right? 6. First South Florida football game, Sept. 6, 1997: The Bulls blow out Kentucky Wesleyan 80-3 at Houlihan's Stadium. 7. Super Bowl XVIII, Jan. 22, 1984: Marcus Allen runs wild as the Oakland Raiders beat the Washington Redskins 38-9, the last AFC team to win a Super Bowl until Denver this year. 8. Lightning's second straight overtime playoff victory, April 21, 1996: The Lightning beats the Flyers 5-4 on Alex Selivanov's goal and takes a 2-1 series lead. 9. NCAA men's basketball tournament South Region, Duke vs. Kentucky, March 22, 1998: In a thrilling rematch of their 1992 regional final nail-biter, Kentucky shows the form that would make it national champion in rallying from 17 points down to beat Duke 86-84. 10. 1990 Davis Cup final: Rick Leach and Tim Pugh win at the Florida Suncoast Dome as the United States goes up 3-0 to clinch the victory over Australia, ending an eight-year Cup drought for the Americans.
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f the seven teams before the Rays to start up in Tampa Bay since 1970, only the Bucs and Storm lost their debuts. Here's how the teams' debuts went:
